Children Of Bodom: 'Doing Stupid-Ass Covers Is One Of Our Favorite Hobbies'

It hasn't taken long for Children of Bodom guitarist Alexi Laiho to emerge as one of the leading proponents of melodic death metal. Zakk Wylde chose COB to accompany him on his 2011 Berzerkus Tour and he has appeared on the covers of numerous prestigious guitar mags. He has a style that brings together mad sweep picking with a manic vibrato bar style and on Relentless Reckless Forever, Children of Bodom's seventh album, these techniques inform all ten tracks.
Produced by Matt Hyde someone who has worked with everyone from Slayer and Monster Magnet to No Doubt and Jonny Lang the album is a brutal showcase of guitar that runs the gamut from the doom of Not My Funeral to the twin-guitar attack of Alexi and Roope Latvala on Roundtrip to Hell and Back.
Laiho talks about the new record, who he was listening to, and what he plays.
UG: Let's talk about your early days a bit. When you listen to your playing back in IneartheD, how would you characterize it?Alexi Laiho: That's all I wanted to do. I wanted to be one of those guys I would look up to whether it was Slash or Steve Vai or everything in between. That was my objective.
Were you looking for your voice as a guitar player?
Well, I guess so. I was just so f-cking eager to learn every technique that there was in the world. I went to music school and stuff like that. I learned about musical theory and stuff like that. Whenever I heard any kind of guitar playing, I was always observing what they do whether it be arpeggios or melody. I mastered in my opinion is the hardest technique ever if you want to do it right pure and clean is the sweep pick. I mastered that way before I got my alternate picking right. It's a funny thing, but I don't think I'm the only guy who does that. Then the alternate picking thing, it's pretty f-cking hard. You really have to keep up with it. You have to practice every day just to keep up with the technique just to do it right. That's the thing that comes down to the music. It's about the riffs. When I discovered like Zakk Wyldeor Randy Rhoads. When I heard him playing those riffs, they were so chunky and accurate with the rhythm guitars. The rhythm guitars were something for me that were a necessary evil. I don't give a sh-t about that. I just wanted to play fast. I paid more attention to that and then I thought, Maybe I should incorporate this particular thing into my solos.
What was it about Steve Vai that attracted you?
Everything.
He's coming from a different place with his material being primarily instrumental.
I know. The guy is totally from Mars or something. The first things I ever heard from the guy was, I think, Passion and Warfare. I think it was 1991. I saw the video for For the Love of God. I was like, Holy f-cking sh-t. Everything he was doing, especially how he would do amazing sh-t with the whammy bar. He didn't just use it as something to jerk off with. He would actually do melodies and have a chorus with it. There were those little pinch harmonic thingies and when he slides down. There were just so many things with that f-cking guy.

"I was just so eager to learn every technique that there was in the world."

When you brought in a second guitar player, did your playing change a little bit?
No, actually it didn't. The second guitar player (Roope Latvala), he was a guy that used to be one of my favorite guitar players, too. He still is. He used to play in this band called Stone. It was like super f-cking popular thrash metal band in the 80s. That dude was just wailing. He was definitely one of my favorites. I had another band with him before Children of Bodom. It was this thing called Sinergy. It doesn't exist anymore, but I've known the guy for a long time. Then Alexander (Kuoppola), he was a major part of the band. He just decided to bail out. Then Roope just called me up and said, Do you want to play? He wanted to know if he should starting learning our songs. We had all these f-cking gigs and this f-cking asshole just bailed out on my ass. So I was like, Yeah. He learned 17 songs in two days. He showed up and f-cking nailed them. The cool thing is that this guy, he's such a f-cking amazing guitar player. We have a little friendly competitive thing. It's healthy. It makes me want to practice more. You always want to be better than he is. It's not like ego sh-t.
With Zakk and Berzerkus, is there a friendly competition there as well?
Well, I guess so. Yeah. I wouldn't use the word competition with him. I've kind of known Zakk since 2005 since we did a photo shoot for Guitar World Magazine. It was him and Steve Vai. I was just this f-cking dude from Finland. Zakk, he actually knew who I was. He said, You're the f-cking guy who is going to keep Randy Rhoads alive. He just went on and on and on. That was probably the only time in my life that I was star struck. It just came to the point where we would hang out, drink beers, and talk about guitars and whatever. Anyway, on this tour he was asking Children of Bodom to do this tour. I said we definitely would as a guitar player and as a member of Children of Bodom. It was pretty f-cking cool.
How did you get into recording mode for the Relentless Reckless Forever record? Are you someone who woodsheds ideas?
Usually it's like it's always been. When you start from f-cking scratch, that's the toughest thing to do ever. Because when you have absolutely nothing and you know you have to create something better, that's a tricky situation. However, that's when you have to start thinking about it. You have to go, Okay, just grab your f-cking guitar and start playing. Do whatever it takes. The last time I was staring at my table and staring at my guitar for like almost four f-cking hours and I was like, Dude, I have nothing. It was horrible. Then I put a CD on. You know the band Europe? I had their compilation. I put that on and just starting riffing on that album. I had a great f-cking time doing that. I just liked playing along with it. Then before you know it, I would come up with melodies and things like that. I mean, they weren't stolen from them. It helped me to start the process. Sometimes you need to do stuff like that.
Not My Funeral has a pretty brutal riff, but off the bat you also hear the keyboards. How did that song come together?
I don't even know if that was the first song I ever wrote for this album. I don't know. I guess it's a gut feeling. I guess that's the key word. Don't f-cking think. Just do it. Do it by your f-cking gut feeling. It was a Slayerish thrash metal riff. Then instantly I knew that we had to have a break with the keyboards. It's really so hard to explain how I do that. It happens. Sometimes it does take a lot of work. The basic idea is to combine the keyboards, which excuse my f-cking language, sometimes they sound f-cking beautiful. But we as a band, we don't want to sound beautiful. When you combine something like that with the heaviest f-cking sh-t in the background, I think that's a cocktail that I would definitely drink.
Shovel Knockout does have those Zakk Wylde pinch harmonics.
It could be a Zakk thing, but everybody's done it nowadays. I don't take offense if you call it a Zakk Wylde-sounding thing. I know the part you're talking about.
There are cool changes. Are you always looking to expand the harmonic content in terms of going in and out of keys?
When it comes to the harmonies, I want to do it in a super wacky way. If I come up with a riff that is heavy but has some melodic part, I don't want to do the obvious, which would be like adding the third or the fifth. It's almost like a crapshoot, what I do with my parts. Not a crapshootI just try out so many things. You've got your flat fives or your major sevenths and all these creative things that have nothing to do with the actual key or even the history of Western music. That's what Slayer did back in the day. When you think of the riff from Angel of Death or whatever. Nothing was following anything, and I think it was just one example. That's how I like to do things. I don't want to do it the obvious way. But then I'll have the melody with long notes or whatever. Sometimes it's good to pull that out with the harmonies that are theoretically right.

"The rhythm guitars were something for me that were a necessary evil."

Talk about Roundtrip To Hell and Back. How do you and Roope work out the parts? What would a Children of Bodom recording session look like?
That's a pretty good example. When we have something like that going on and there are f-cking harmonies parts or melodies or what have you, we don't add any guitars in the background like a third guitar. We have the keyboards. It's also a really good contrast. With a song called Angels Don't Kill from the Hate Crew Deathroll album. There is the verse, but the riff from the verse is super f-cking happy. Then it goes into this melody and there are two guitar players and the keyboards. There aren't any added guitars or anything. If you know how to pick your moments, then you can pull it off like that. On a record it makes for an incredible contrast, the heavy sh-t and the gay sh-t. When you put them together, they make pretty good music.
Before you go into record guitars, your parts have already been rehearsed and written?
Yeah. We practice and rehearse. You should do that anyway, but it's a good f-cking way to save money. You shouldn't spend three f-cking months in the studio just to learn a song. In the studio when you hear it from a different point of you then you go, I want to try this and that. Of course, some new sh-t comes to life sometimes and we'll change a couple of things here and there. But yeah, everything is practiced or rehearsed before we hit the studio.
Your solo sections in Was It Worth It? were very cool. You talked about Steve Vai using the whammy bar, but you used some great things with the wah and the harmonics. Is that something you had already worked out?
That was actually one of my favorite things to do. On almost every album I have to do one of those Steve Vai whammy bar melodic thingies. I'm telling you, man, it's not easy. It's not like f-cked up with Pro Tools. I practice that sh-t. The only thing that sucks about it is that you can't be hung over when you do that. If you have shaky hands, it's not going to sound good.
Northpole Throwdown is a crazy tune with some wah thrown in there. Is that the crazy side of Alexi Laiho coming out?
Yeah, pretty much. The whole song, as far as the music and everything else, it's got really old school black metal/punk rock. Like it has this Metallica's Kill Em All feeling in it, which by the way, is one of my favorite records ever. The f-cking energy on that album is far beyond anything. It's insane. So that's the kind of solo I wanted to do. I wanted to do it right on the spot, so there was no f-cking around. I've got a wah pedal and I'll hit it.
Your approach to the effects is still pretty organic. Are you a non-effects guy still?
Yeah. The only thing was I used my pre-amp and the power amp. I wanted to have a natural chorus and not a chorus that was added afterward. I would run it through a studio chorus thing to give it that 80s sound. I love it. Yeah, that's pretty much it. No other effects whatsoever except for a wah pedal here and there.
You have about five or six ESP models out now, correct?
I don't know, man. I just wanted to put out a couple. If I ask for one, they want to make it as a model. It was just something for myself. But the funny thing was I put out this one that is always the same guitar. It's a Randy shape, 24 f-cking frets, one single pickup, the Floyd Rose, and the pinstripe. The only difference is the color. I wanted to do something super f-cking gnarly. I wanted to do a black guitar with pink pinstripes with a pink f-cking ESP logo on the headstock. The guys were like, Dude, are you f-cking kidding me? I was like, No, I'll pay for it. I want one of those because it's going to be f-cking awesome. Then I got one and I still play with it. It's one of my main guitars. When it came out, the guitar freaks were like, That's like the gayest f-cking thing ever. It's so funny, but at the end of the day everybody still wanted to have one. That ended up being the most sold model I ever put out.
You're an alder guy with the ebony fingerboard. Is that your thing?
Pretty much, yeah. Dude, when it comes to all this wood science, I don't make the guitars. I play them. They have poplar and alder or whatever, but yeah. Those guys make it for me. I only play live with the Japanese models. ESP in the States, they wanted to do the same sh-t, but for legal reasons they had to make it a little different so that it wouldn't look too much like the Jackson Randy Rhoads. They are still awesome guitars nonetheless. Even the LTD ones, they are so f-cking good. Personally, I like the Japanese ones.
Did you go through a period of working with Les Pauls or Strats?
I'm pretty much set in my ways. Not that I'm close-minded. I love to mess around with Strats or Telecasters or Les Pauls or pretty much everything. I love it. I think I'm just going to buy myself a f-cking Christmas gift. I'm going to get myself a real f-cking Stratocaster. I have one in mind, which I think I might find here in Los Angeles.

"You have to practice every day just to keep up with the technique just to do it right."

You do a cover of Eddie Murphy's Party All The Time. What drew you to the idea of doing a cover of an R&B song like that one?
Doing stupid-ass covers is one of our favorite hobbies. Eddie Murphy and Rick James are f-cking awesome. Have you seen the video for that one? That was looping over and over one night when we were partying. I think our bass player was like, That's the one we should cover. He made a good point. The thing is we had already done Britney Spears, so it wouldn't be as funny to cover f-cking Christina Aguilera or something like that. We had done Kenny Rogers, Slayer, and Pat Benatar. We had never done Eddie Murphy.
Did someone you cover like John Fogerty or Neal Schon excuse me, I mean Neil Giraldo from Benatar's band mean anything to you as a guitar player?
Neal SchonI love Journey as well.
That's right. You cover Don't Stop Believin' as well.
For a couple of seconds we'll play it, but I could never sing that song.
Did you listen to guitarists like that, though?
Yeah, that's one of the bands I digged real well. My dad was always playing Creedence. Yeah, Creedence and Dire Straits. Mark Knopfler is one of the reasons why I started playing guitar. When I heard the guitar riff for Money For Nothing I was like, Holy motherf-cking sh-t. I was like four years old. You want to hear what's funny? Still today I can't f-cking match that riff. He doesn't play with a pick and does weird fingering. Then he does this little pinch harmonics here and there. I don't think anyone in the world can actually match that riff. I could do it on the spot, but I can't make it sound the way it's supposed to sound.
At the end of the day when you listen to the record, did it hit all of the spots you wanted it to? Did it present the band in the way you truly are in 2011?
Oh, yeah. Absolutely. You pretty much said it all.
I read that you chose Matt Hyde because of his attitude and the way he responded to your music. Was that a big part of it?
Yeah, for me it was. It turned out to be a really good decision. He worked with Slayer and Monster Magnet, but I'm not into f-cking credentials. That sh-t doesn't impress me that much. If the producer is f-cking dick, then who cares if you sound like a Slayer record. I think him and me, we share a really similar love for music and the commitment to make an awesome album and sacrifice anything and everything just to make it sound good not matter what.
Are you a taskmaster in the studio?
When we're writing a song and stuff like that, I'll pretty much tell them what to play. If they can't get it down then I'll say, Take your time. I'm not a f-cking dick to every dude. These guys are my f-cking childhood friends. I trust them and they will get it down. I'm the guy who is going to be first in the studio and I'll be the last dude to be there. That doesn't mean I'm always there being a Nazi guy telling people what to do. I let them do their own thing. Sometimes I'll say a couple of things here and there. I think every band needs that. There has to be something that calls the shots at the end of the day. I take care of the writing of the music. Then there's a bass player that's taking care of the merch business. The keyboard player, with him I do a lot of stuff with music, but he knows the business. He works with the managers and stuff. Everybody does something. Everybody has a role. It just turned out to be that way.
Photo credit: Nany Scarface ViciousInterview by Steven Rosen
Ultimate-Guitar.Com 2011

Interviews with Alexi seem to be very hit and miss nowadays, he is either caught in a really good mood and is super friendly, seems like an awesome dude...or he gets pretty grumpy and seems like a bit of a twat (as is the case here). I guess that happens with everyone, Alexi just seems to get caught out more than others. If I only read this interview and knew nothing else about him I would be pretty bummed, he comes across almost like the ultimate negative metal steriotype that gets thrown around so often. Fortunately from checking out other stuff (like the documentary on chaos ridden years) its clear he is a legend who just has ups and downs.
Not that it matters at all though, Bodom are great.

TheBlackening91 wrote:
Doing a stupid cover was probably a funny idea the first time, but it's seriously boring and unfunny now

It's not unfunny to me.
Pretty shit though the Cover is only on the "Super Deluxe Edition" of the album which is 24. I'm just going to buy the normal one. I HATE digipacks and none of the bonus features look that good.

I've always hated Alexi's attitude. He's all about "look at me, look what I can do! I'm so much better than this person or that person!" and he will openly admit that he has that attitude.
Its about the music, not about showing off.

he seems to be a cool guy ! and his love for the instrument makes me want to practice much more !
when talkin' about harmonies can anyone explains this : [ When you think of the riff from Angel of Death or whatever. Nothing was following anything ] he means there's no third harmonies on that awsome riff ??
pretty ****in good ****in player ;

Farid Macleod wrote:
he seems to be a cool guy ! and his love for the instrument makes me want to practice much more !
when talkin' about harmonies can anyone explains this : [ When you think of the riff from Angel of Death or whatever. Nothing was following anything ] he means there's no third harmonies on that awsome riff ??
pretty ****in good ****in player ;

Yea he just means like the harmonies and such don't follow the "rules" of music theory. So basically, yes, no thirds since that's mainly what you use in metal.

Man I love Alexi. He's a showoff to be sure, but it's entertaining and at least he has the music to back it up. The Children of Bodom gigs I've gone to have just been ridiculously fun. Definitely gonna buy this album and then call the waaahmbulance for everyone who complains it isn't Hatebreeder.

TheBlackening91 wrote:
Doing a stupid cover was probably a funny idea the first time, but it's seriously boring and unfunny now

Yeah, at least doing "heavy" covers of more convential songs would be more fresh if they mixed it up but it's always like "hey guys we're children of f-cking bodom let's scream and detune and just play this song it'll be killer." Which was a good gag the first time around and has become more than stale.

DimebagZappa wrote:
TheBlackening91 wrote:
Doing a stupid cover was probably a funny idea the first time, but it's seriously boring and unfunny now
I wish you were here so I could slap the shit outta you.

+1. If it's a good cover, who cares? Good music is good music. And COB tend to do very good covers.
Alexi swears a lot, but I'll let him. English isn't his first language. I realize people don't respect the new stuff since it isn't Hatebreeder. I don't know why. Blooddrunk and Are You Dead Yet? were both very good albums in my opinion. No, they're not the same as Hatebreeder. But I don't think they were ever professed to be the same as Hatebreeder. I would defend Blooddrunk and Are You Dead Yet? any day.

Megadeth2011 wrote:
+1. If it's a good cover, who cares? Good music is good music. And COB tend to do very good covers.
Alexi swears a lot, but I'll let him. English isn't his first language. I realize people don't respect the new stuff since it isn't Hatebreeder. I don't know why. Blooddrunk and Are You Dead Yet? were both very good albums in my opinion. No, they're not the same as Hatebreeder. But I don't think they were ever professed to be the same as Hatebreeder. I would defend Blooddrunk and Are You Dead Yet? any day.

THANK YOU. Finally someone else who understands. I can't stand this shit people spew like they "sold out" or "lost their creativity" because their music doesn't sound the same as when they started. No, they wanted to play something different, try new sounds. They'd be "selling out" if they kept playing the same highly melodic stuff just because some of their audience demands it. As beautiful as many of their early songs are, they would ruin that sound if they continued to churn out album after album of it. Personally I don't think Blooddrunk is a very good album, but not in the slightest because it's not the same thing they've always played. I applaud them for being confident enough to branch out and play what they want despite complaints from some of their audience.

he does the music he likes and he enjoys everything he does and thats the point U r not meant to like him. If u do just do if nt then dont. Music is about people choosing music they like, not music choosing people (pop music?).

Spartan101400 wrote:
Oh, Alexi, if you disappoint me on this new album, there's no telling how much I will hate you.

I already hate him. He is way too hyped for his actual talent. I personally know people that are head and shoulders above him. If it weren't for his arrogance and his douche bag-ness I would like him but he is just not a pleasant guy to be around.

ok, so Hatebreeder was not some amazing gold standard. it had some amazing songs (bed of razors, warheart, downfall, silent night, bodom night), but had some awkward song structure, misplaced neo-classical bits, and very odd vocals at times. that being said, still a ****ing good album.
Every album's had its own unique flavor. frankly I think alexi should re-do HCDR, removing the thrashy and chromatic sections (you're better off dead COULD have been one of the greatest songs ever) and should re-record AYDY, using a better producer and writing less retarded lyrics (production and lyrics hurt what I would argue would've been their best album).
Honestly, if you remove some of the agression-based intros and put 3rd and 5th harmonies where they should "obviously go", blooddrunk nor this album would deviate much from the older albums.

thf24 wrote:
Megadeth2011 wrote:
+1. If it's a good cover, who cares? Good music is good music. And COB tend to do very good covers.
Alexi swears a lot, but I'll let him. English isn't his first language. I realize people don't respect the new stuff since it isn't Hatebreeder. I don't know why. Blooddrunk and Are You Dead Yet? were both very good albums in my opinion. No, they're not the same as Hatebreeder. But I don't think they were ever professed to be the same as Hatebreeder. I would defend Blooddrunk and Are You Dead Yet? any day.
THANK YOU. Finally someone else who understands. I can't stand this shit people spew like they "sold out" or "lost their creativity" because their music doesn't sound the same as when they started. No, they wanted to play something different, try new sounds. They'd be "selling out" if they kept playing the same highly melodic stuff just because some of their audience demands it. As beautiful as many of their early songs are, they would ruin that sound if they continued to churn out album after album of it. Personally I don't think Blooddrunk is a very good album, but not in the slightest because it's not the same thing they've always played. I applaud them for being confident enough to branch out and play what they want despite complaints from some of their audience.

No matter what a band does, there will always be criticism. If they change their sound there will be people complaining about how they should be going for the sound of one of their older albums, but if they stay the same there will be people complaining about how their material is old and they should move on. Those whiny, self-centered douche bags are best ignored because they don't matter and they have no effect on a band with intelligence higher than your average downey amnesiac.

a7x4life666 wrote:
thf24 wrote:
Megadeth2011 wrote:
+1. If it's a good cover, who cares? Good music is good music. And COB tend to do very good covers.
Alexi swears a lot, but I'll let him. English isn't his first language. I realize people don't respect the new stuff since it isn't Hatebreeder. I don't know why. Blooddrunk and Are You Dead Yet? were both very good albums in my opinion. No, they're not the same as Hatebreeder. But I don't think they were ever professed to be the same as Hatebreeder. I would defend Blooddrunk and Are You Dead Yet? any day.
THANK YOU. Finally someone else who understands. I can't stand this shit people spew like they "sold out" or "lost their creativity" because their music doesn't sound the same as when they started. No, they wanted to play something different, try new sounds. They'd be "selling out" if they kept playing the same highly melodic stuff just because some of their audience demands it. As beautiful as many of their early songs are, they would ruin that sound if they continued to churn out album after album of it. Personally I don't think Blooddrunk is a very good album, but not in the slightest because it's not the same thing they've always played. I applaud them for being confident enough to branch out and play what they want despite complaints from some of their audience.
No matter what a band does, there will always be criticism. If they change their sound there will be people complaining about how they should be going for the sound of one of their older albums, but if they stay the same there will be people complaining about how their material is old and they should move on. Those whiny, self-centered douche bags are best ignored because they don't matter and they have no effect on a band with intelligence higher than your average downey amnesiac.

Exactly what I've been saying for the last couple of years
I thought this was a great interview
Though Alexi swears a lot, he comes of as a straightforward kinda guy
COB \m/

All the COB albums have a different directions, and all of them are awesome in my opinion. Alexi is a ****ing legend, and one of the best guitar players nowadays, so you might say he is an *****, but he still kicks your ass when it comes to guitar skills....

What a great interview. really captured his true voice and his passion in his music. Personally i get a little put off by Alexi's guitar playing especially in newer albums but i appreciate what he does for the music and where he came from.

Just a bit of irony here: People go on about censoring cuss words yet when it comes to blasphemy no one cares?
Anyway (back to the topic), I have much respect for Alexi as a guitarist but am not such a big fan of their newer melodic thrash style as opposed to HCDR and their older albums. Great read btw.

RC52190 wrote:
Farid Macleod wrote:
he seems to be a cool guy ! and his love for the instrument makes me want to practice much more !
when talkin' about harmonies can anyone explains this : [ When you think of the riff from Angel of Death or whatever. Nothing was following anything ] he means there's no third harmonies on that awsome riff ??
pretty ****in good ****in player ;
Yea he just means like the harmonies and such don't follow the "rules" of music theory. So basically, yes, no thirds since that's mainly what you use in metal.

I'm a fan of this guys work, but I seriously can't stand people who use the word f*ck to describe nearly everything they say. It's so annoying.
It's similar to people that use the word "like" too much. It's completely unnecessary.

My friends and I all agreed that he died in a fiery accident after Follow the Reaper. This interview is fake and there is no new album coming to disappoint us in March.
Joking aside, pretty decent interview if you can read around the ****'s.

didnt realize how great of a olayer he was til i got the chaos ridden years dvd on a whim...wow. blew me away and almost made me put down my guitar hahaha good interview, great guitarist. cant wait for the album

mysticguitar77 wrote:
I'm a fan of this guys work, but I seriously can't stand people who use the word f*ck to describe nearly everything they say. It's so annoying.
It's similar to people that use the word "like" too much. It's completely unnecessary.

Dude like f-cking chill. It's not like it like f-cks up the dialogue or like anything like that. Like what is so like f-cked up about like repetition? It like helps put like f-cking emphasis on like what you want to f-cking get like across. I mean, like why the f-ck wouldn't you like use f-cking repetition? It can like f-cking convey your like emotions and like stuff.

Alexi truly is awesome!
I love his style, it's so inspiring. Plus the fact that he play pretty damn hard riffs and sings at the same time x3
i kinda admire him.
i LOVED their cover of Rebel Yell and Ghost Riders in the Sky

a7x4life666 wrote:
mysticguitar77 wrote:
I'm a fan of this guys work, but I seriously can't stand people who use the word f*ck to describe nearly everything they say. It's so annoying.
It's similar to people that use the word "like" too much. It's completely unnecessary.
Dude like f-cking chill. It's not like it like f-cks up the dialogue or like anything like that. Like what is so like f-cked up about like repetition? It like helps put like f-cking emphasis on like what you want to f-cking get like across. I mean, like why the f-ck wouldn't you like use f-cking repetition? It can like f-cking convey your like emotions and like stuff.

nice guy, great guitar player, and who cares if bodom has changed? as he said they dont want to do the obvious, so let them change, do a little less melodies and more riffs, it will still be bodom in the end, it will still have sick guitar solos or just short but nailed solos like in was it worth it (in which im happy roope is making a solo too). also doing covers isnt bad, its just fun, or you just play songs you create? everybody makes covers, they just recorded themselves having fun

Children sucks more with every new album, their lasts singles are horrible. They are about to become a mediocre core band. Sure Alexi is a great player and all, but these guys made the ultimate sell out

Chronologo wrote:
Children sucks more with every new album, their lasts singles are horrible. They are about to become a mediocre core band. Sure Alexi is a great player and all, but these guys made the ultimate sell out

...so putting out 'bad' albums makes a band a sell out? Man that word has no meaning anymore.
The track Ugly kicks ass! Much better than their last few albums, almost sounds like old Bodom.

COB is an ovverated band that has nothing to show
since the early 90's.Alexi is a good guitarist but that
being said he's a drunk and a junkie,I know that cause I've met him in person.COB would be better of dispbanded

bafonikolas wrote:
COB is an ovverated band that has nothing to show
since the early 90's.Alexi is a good guitarist but that
being said he's a drunk and a junkie,I know that cause I've met him in person.COB would be better of dispbanded

I think you mean late 90's, but yeah, I kind of have to agree. Their music and Alexi have become a bit more primitive along the years.

RC52190 wrote:
ProgJazzMath wrote:
JimBonJovi wrote:
For such an acclaimed guitarist you'd think his language would be a bit better.
He isn't american in case you were wondering.
Im pretty sure he means "his language" as in all his swearing. Personally, who gives a flying f-ck? The guy's a f-cking legend. He can do whatever the f-ck he wants.

S.D.M.F. wrote:
Chronologo wrote:
Children sucks more with every new album, their lasts singles are horrible. They are about to become a mediocre core band. Sure Alexi is a great player and all, but these guys made the ultimate sell out
...so putting out 'bad' albums makes a band a sell out? Man that word has no meaning anymore.
The track Ugly kicks ass! Much better than their last few albums, almost sounds like old Bodom.

DimebagZappa wrote:
TheBlackening91 wrote:
Doing a stupid cover was probably a funny idea the first time, but it's seriously boring and unfunny now
I wish you were here so I could slap the shit outta you.

i_am_metalhead wrote:
I've always hated Alexi's attitude. He's all about "look at me, look what I can do! I'm so much better than this person or that person!" and he will openly admit that he has that attitude.
Its about the music, not about showing off.

Actually he seems the opposite judging from the interview. He knows hes good ofcourse but he has a good sense of humor. Pink guitars rule!

guitarfreak222 wrote:
a7x4life666 wrote:
mysticguitar77 wrote:
I'm a fan of this guys work, but I seriously can't stand people who use the word f*ck to describe nearly everything they say. It's so annoying.
It's similar to people that use the word "like" too much. It's completely unnecessary.
Dude like f-cking chill. It's not like it like f-cks up the dialogue or like anything like that. Like what is so like f-cked up about like repetition? It like helps put like f-cking emphasis on like what you want to f-cking get like across. I mean, like why the f-ck wouldn't you like use f-cking repetition? It can like f-cking convey your like emotions and like stuff.
Hahahaha. Well played.

POST OF THE YEAR. and the best part is i read that halfway through not realizing where the pun in that joke was.

He is a great guitar player ! No doubt about that but his screaming voice thing is not my thing. If you want to sing, sing well otherwize, get back to what you do best = guitar playing. Despite this, he seems to be a nice guy but no need to swear a tones to be "cool" or to make a point. His playing does : Just grow up a bit and you will be even cooler.

Why is this being held up in the top 3 interviews for like... weeks?
I mean, cool, you have Google and you can determine the chord pattern/structure of a pop song and add a guitar solo... people do this daily on YouTube, expecting no monetary compensation of any kind.